Glove-cleaning machine.



H. A. HECKER. G LO VE CLEANING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. H. 1915.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHfiETl INVENTOR.

BY (EQMMM 7w; ATTORNEYS.

my ZLF H. A. HECKER.

GLOVE CLEANING MACHINE. APPLlCATlON FILED OCT. 11. 1915.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- H. A. HECKER.

GLOVE CLEANING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.11; 1915. 1,251,518. Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

15 IN VEZVTOR. WITNESSES:

71W his ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGO A. I-IECKER, QF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN LAUNDRYMACHINERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

GLOVE-CLEANING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed October 11, 1915. Serial No. 55,139.

To (LZZVZUILOWL it may concern:

lle it known that I, lIUoo A. Hncxnn, of Cincinnati, in the county ofHamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Glove-Cleaning Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My invention has for its object to improve the construction of cleaningmachines for treating gloves and like articles, or appa' ratus designedfor similar use, of the general type that embodies a receptacle forcontaining a suitable cleaning fluid through which the work is caused totravel, during which movement it is brought into contact with suitablecleaning surfaces, such as brushes, that engage the work with a rubbingaction, and serve to remove the dirt. In the better known types ofmachines for this purpose, there is employed a rotary brush carrierwithin a receptacle, the brushes of which cooperate with a stationarybrush arranged in the body of the cleaning fluid, and it is my object toso construct the movable brush carrier as to insure the proper action ofthe brushes on the work under all conditions, and to prevent the workfrom being subjected to either an excessive or an insuflicient pressureof the cleaning surfaces. A further object of the invention is tocompensate for the wear on the brushes by maintaining a constantrelation between them, irrespective of the extent of use to which theyhave been subjected. An additional object of my invention is to improvethe construction and arrangement of machines of this type by featuresthat strengthen it, and add to its general efficiency. To these andother ends the invention consists in certain improvements andcombinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described,the novel features being pointed out in the claim at the end of thespecification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with apreferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3 -3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5"- 5 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

In the present embodiment of the invention 1 designates a receptacleembodying a top 2, which includes the movable covers 3 through which thecleaning fluid and the work are inserted. The receptacle 1 cmbodies anendless channel composed of two opposite portions connected at thelrends in the manner shown in Fig. 1, so as to afford a continuouscirculating path for the work. The receptacle is provided withstationary cleaning surfaces, preferably in the form of brush members4:, which are located in the channel at nearly opposite points, at thebottom of the receptacle, and beneath the cleaning surfaces 4 are outletchambers 5 which are connected to a discharge pipe 6, the'latter havinga drain cock 7 at its outer end, through which the cleaning fluid isdrained off when the receptacle is to be emptied.

The cleaning surfaces 1 are concave, as shown in Fig. 2, and arrangedfor cooperation therewith are movable cleaning memhere, which act tocarry the work against the stationary members at, and are constructedand arranged in the manner that I will now describe. J ournaled in theopposite portions of the receptacle are spindles 8 and 9, which areoperatively connected by gears 10 and 11, while the spindle 9 carriesfast and loose pulleys 12 and 13 to receive a driving belt, from whichmotion is communicated to the spindles for driving the movable brushmembers, as will be more fully set forth presently.

The movable cleaning members or brushes are designated at it, andmounted on drumlike members 15, which are fixed on the respectivespindles 8 and 9. The construction of the drum-like members and thebrushes arranged thereon is the same for each side of the receptacle,and for convenience in the present description I will explain only oneof these. The drum-like member 15 serves as a carrier for the brushes14:, of which there are preferably four, having convex working surfaces,each secured in a support 16. The support 16 is cutaway or grooved atits sides to engage guides 17 attached to the carrier, so asto permitslidable movement of the support 16 and the brush member on the carrierin a direction radially of the same. It is necessary to maintain themovable brush member in contact with the stationary brushes as theformer passes the latter, and with this in view I employ guide rods 18which are slida'ble in openings 19. The rods 18 carry enlarged heads '20engaging the carrier and movable in openings 21 in the support 16; while22 is a spring surrounding the rods 18 and located between the head 20and the shoulder :23. Spring 22 acts to force the support 16 and itsbrush outwardly from the axis of the carrier and radially with relationthereto while at the same time permitting sutiicient yieldability of themovable cleaning member to permit the work to pass between the movableand stationary brushes.

The construction is of particular advantage in so far as it maintainsthe cooperating cleaning surfaces in the proper operative relation atall times, irrespective of the extent of wear to which the brushes mayhave been vention is intended to improve, and while I have set forth aspecific structure, I do not limit myself to this arrangement but intendto protect by this application any changes that may come within thescope of my improvements and of the claim hereto appended.

I claim as my invention:

In a cleaning machine, the combination with a receptacle, of an annularcarrier journaled in the receptacle and provided with guides arrangedinteriorly and extending radially, a cleaning surface located at thebottom of the receptacle, a cleaning member having guideways engagingthe aforementioned guides for permitting radial move ment of thecleaning member with reference to the carrier, the cleaning memberhaving openings extending radially therethrough, guide rods movablyarranged in said open ings and having enlargements at their inner endsloosely engaging the carrier, and springs surrounding said guide rodshaving engagement with the enlargements at one end and shoulders on thecleaning member at the opposite end and acting to eliect outwardmovement of the cleaning member on the carrier.

HUGO A. HEOKER.

Witnesses i Jos. H. SPELLER, R. L. MENZEL.

Copies of this patent mav be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G."

